Almost Mine
by Queen of Air and Darkness
Summary: A response to CanadianMarauder's Challenge: Poison. Rowan's thoughts after Ariella's death. Includes flashback of a moment alone between them. Rated T because... well, you know Rowan.:P EDITED AND REWRITTEN!
1. Old Version

**EDIT: READ THIS! So, I wrote the story below more than a year ago. It was really annoying me how bad it was, and, frankly, I was kind of embarrassed to have something so bad up. However, my pride wouldn't let me just delete the story, so I decided to rewrite it. This chapter is the original, from 2011. The second chapter is from 2013. It's kind of different, but not really. You're welcome to read the bad version and the good (or at least better) version, or just the good version. But please don't just read the bad version and be like "This is awful; I'm not going to read the second chapter," because I know this one is bad. So please don't judge me on this version. **

**That's it! Now onto the original...**

**A/N: So, this is my response to CanadianMarauder's Challenge: Poison. Don't really have anything else to say, so, I'll go with this:**

**Disclaimer: If I'm putting on a disclaimer, then I think you can assume I don't own it. Otherwise, I wouldn't need the disclaimer. **

"When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth." -Misery Business, Paramore. (Switch around the pronouns.)

I was in the throne room, in the presence of my queen, when my younger brother entered.

"My queen." he said, kneeling before Mab.

"Rise, Prince Ash." she said, and he stood.

"My queen, I have somber news to deliver." he said, his face emotionless. I could hear barely concealed pain in his voice, however, which piqued my curiosity. What could have caused the third prince of the Winter Court pain?

"Ariella Tularyn died today." He said bluntly, and things came crashing down around me.

"Out." Mab ordered all of the fey mingling in the throne room. "I will speak to my sons alone."

They all hurried away at her commanding voice, and with a resounding _boom_, the doors of the throne room swung shut, and I was alone with my two brothers and our mother.

"Now, Ash." Mab said, rising fluidly and coming to stand next to him, laying a long fingered hand on his arm. "Do tell us what happened."

He explained in monotonous, halting sentences how they had been in the wyldwood, hunting, with no other than Robin Goodfellow. Goodfellow, typical Summer faery he was, led them into a wyvern's nest. Caught unawares, she had suffered a blow from the stinger, and was thus killed.

All was silent for a moment as he finished speaking, then his words sunk in, and my sword was at his throat.

"She died because of you." I snarled at him. "Because you were the irresponsible bastard that thought it was _okay_ to keep company with Summer fey, because you spend all your time out in the dangerous wyldwood, instead of at court, where one such as Ariella should have stayed. Her blood is on your hands!"

He looked at me stonily, not even unsheathing his sword, saying nothing to defend himself. A thin trail of blood dripped down his neck from the tip of my blade.

"Rowan, stop this." my queen said, stepping between us. With a snarl, I drew my sword back and turned from them, stomping out of the throne room.

I walked restlessly out of the palace, needing to have my thoughts to myself for once, without other fey around to see me. It seemed as if the Fates would have no mercy on me tonight, for I found myself in a courtyard where Ariella and I had once talked alone.

_Flashback**************_

"_Ariella." I said smoothly as I entered the courtyard where she sat, for once without the company of my younger sibling. _

"_Prince Rowan." She replied formally. Her beautiful blue eyes darted around as if looking for the youngest prince of Winter, or another way out of talking to me. I walked a little closer to her, giving her a seductive smile. She stiffened, her graceful body going rigid, as if she were the prey of a very large, very deadly predator. Which I suppose is somewhat true, to most women. But not to her. Ariella was the most beautiful Winter sidhe, and I would do anything to secure her favor._

"_Why, Miss Tularyn, it's as if you aren't keen on talking to me. You don't think I would dare hurt you, do you?" I added a dark chuckle to my words, and this time she shivered. I watched eagerly as her whole body moved with the shiver, her hair pushed back by a slight wind, making her look even more beautiful. _

"_I-" _

_She was rendered speechless as I trailed feather light fingers down her back, and watched as she again shivered, this time with what I believe had to be pleasure. I was touching her, wasn't I? _

"_What do you say," I brought my lips close to her ear "That we let my dear younger brother have a day of solitude while we… get to know each other a little better, hmm?" I said in my most seductive tone. _

"_I-" _

_I pressed my lips to the back of her neck. "There's really no reason to protest. I will be the perfect gentleman, I assure you." _

_She stood suddenly and backed away from me, towards the palace doors. "Excuse me, Prince Rowan. I…. have to leave." And she entered the palace, leaving me out in the courtyard to wonder how my younger, much less charming brother had secured her favor, when I had not. _

_End Flashback*****************_

_You should have stayed with me that day. If you had, I would have convinced you to choose me over Ash. _I thought to myself as the memory ended. _Why did you not choose me? What does he have that I do not? If you had stayed with me, chosen me, you would still be alive. Why was I not good enough for you? _

There had been a time when Ariella was almost mine, I remembered. Right after she had come to Court. I had talked to her, stayed with her, showed her Tir Na Nog. Then one day, when I was away by Mab's orders, she had met Ash, and was lost to me thereafter.

_If there is any justice, Ash will never find love again. _

"When I thought he was mine, she caught him by the mouth." -Misery Business, Paramore. (Switch around the pronouns.)

**A/N: To anyone who has read Iron Knight, you know the last part about how Ariella was almost Rowan's isn't true. But I needed a song quote and, though I had several good ones for Ash, I couldn't think of any for Rowan. But I knew he was bitter about how Ash got Ariella, and so I just kind of hyperboled it. (Yes, I'm well aware that hyperboled isn't a word. But you get what I'm saying.) And sorry if you find Rowan OOC, but we don't really ****_know_**** him, know how he thinks, not like Puck or Ash or Meghan. So cut me some slack, here please. **

**I can't believe I'm the first one to reply to this challenge! Eep!**

**Oh, yeah, reviews are always welcome! :)**

**Queen of Air and Darkness**


	2. Better Version

**A/N: Please read the first chapter A/N edit, so you know what's happening. If you have read it, then here's the new version. Enjoy~**

Things weren't supposed to happen this way. Ariella wasn't supposed to go with Ash. She wasn't supposed to die, especially not by his hand. If she hadn't chosen him, she would still be alive. I would still be able to walk through the palace and see her silver hair. I would be able to smell her intoxicating scent and hear her bell-like voice.

I would still have the chance to woo her into being mine.

I never understood why she had chosen my younger brother, anyway. He was a weak, pitiful fool who spent his time chasing animals through the wyldwood instead of serving his queen and court like a true prince would. He was nothing, no one, compared to me.

It was not as if I had not approached Ariella before, hadn't made clear that she could be with me – the superior prince. I would have given her everything.

_I spied her form out a window, silver hair shining from where she gracefully shat on a bench in a courtyard stories below me. Inside, I shook with excitement, but remained as composed as always as I went to join her. _

"_Ariella," I said as I entered the courtyard. _

_She startled and turned to face me, her hair flowing around her with the movement. _

"_Prince Rowan," she said formally, dropping her eyes. _

_I walked closer and took her hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. "Lady Ariella."_

"_To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, sire?" she asked, eyes still on the ground._

"_Rowan," I corrected her as I took the hand I had kissed and brought it closer to me, laying the slight bones on my chest. "Between us, titles are unnecessary."_

"_Yes, Prince Rowan," she said, playing to be submissive, but I heard a certain fire beneath it. _

_But I was sure I didn't need to worry about it. She would warm to me soon. With my attention, she would all but forget Ash. "Elysium is nearing, Ariella, and I wished to tell you that I will be escorting you."_

_Now, her eyes like stars met mine, startled. "But Ash is escorting me."_

_Oh, so she called me by my title, but not him? How had he sunk his claws into her so quickly and efficiently? _

_I wrapped one arm around her waist, the other framing her face. My thumb brushed across her lips, and I couldn't help but smile at the delicious closeness of her body. "Why let him escort you when I am here and offering? He is the third prince, and the weakest. He is not a strong enough man or a worthy enough lover – not for you." I felt her body shiver at my last words, and leaned down so my lips brushed her ear as I whispered to her. "He is not worthy of you, but I am here now. You never have to let him touch you or come near you again."_

_Surprisingly, those words had the opposite effect that I had thought they would. I had expected her to agree, and for me to get a kiss or three in before we went to announce ourselves to court, and to Ash. But her body stiffened and for the first time in my life, I was pushed away. I was caught so off guard, I stumbled back, and she tore out of my arms._

"_I'm sorry, Prince Rowan," she said "But I am going to Elysium with Ash. Please, don't touch me again."_

_And she hurried out of the courtyard, no doubt back to Ash. _

Why had she not chosen me, when the choice was so clear? How could she view him as better than me? He hadn't known how to treat her properly, as a lady of court should be treated. The most beautiful Winter sidhe did not deserve to be taken into the wyldwood with a Summer fey. But he did so anyway, expecting it would be fine. He was rash, and Ariella paid the price of his stupidity. He has her blood on his hands, but she has no one to avenge her.

And then, I smile. For though I cannot slay my own kin, that does not mean I cannot hurt him. And I will make sure that eventually, he pays the price.

**A/N: So, only 721 words. Not as good as I wanted it to be. I guess it's not in the stars for me to actually write this story very well...**

**Thoughts? Comparisons between this and the original? There's a review button. :) **

**I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Queen of Air and Darkness**


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